The Lakers have been on fire since the Luka Doncic trade. They have won four straight games and jumped to the fourth seed in the West standings, with their latest victory coming last night against the Timberwolves. But amid their impressive run, the LA team is facing one major concern. Rui Hachimura’s health! Yes, he left yesterday’s game early in the third quarter after straining his left knee following a wide open fastbreak dunk. And even JJ Redick is uncertain about when the forward will return.
When asked about the severity of Rui’s injury, JJ said, “We are optimistic this is not a serious injury.” Turns out, Hachimura underwent medical imaging on his knee but is yet to be seen and assessed by Lakers’ doctor Kris Jones. So, the head coach did not reveal any timeline for his potential comeback. Of course, Rui has been ruled out of tonight’s Clippers’ clash.
JJ Redick, when asked about Rui Hachimura’s left knee strain, says “we are optimistic this is not a serious injury.” He did not provide any timeline for when Rui could return. He said Hachimura underwent medical imaging on the knee, but has not been seen by LAL’s Dr. Kris Jones
— Dave McMenamin (@mcten) March 1, 2025
His absence is surely a huge blow to the team because the Japanese star has been a key part of their rotation, averaging 13.3 points and over five rebounds. And his size has been a huge asset on the defensive end. Moreover, this is not the first time this season Rui’s health has caused worry. During last weekend’s Nuggets game, he left the game after seemingly hurting his back while guarding Aaron Gordon inside the paint.
That too was a non-contact injury just like last night. But Rui was able to return the following game. Hopefully, he will recover from the knee injury soon and make a comeback because the Lakers need him for the second half of the season and the playoffs.
(Developing Story)
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